Steering-gear lock.



I v M. M. MUELLER.

STEERING GEAR LUCK APPLICATION FILED'AULLZZ. 191 7. I 1,261,151, I Patented Apr. 2,1918.

2 SHEETSSHEEF lrowns;

M. M. MUELLER. sTEERme GE-AR LOCK.

APPLICATLON FILED AUG.22,19171 Patented Apr. 2,1918.

MAX M. MUELLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STEERING-GEAR LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2, 193%.

Application filed August 22, 1917. Serial No. i87,609.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Max M. MUELLER, a

citizen of the I nited States, residing at hicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Steering-Gear Locks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for preventing theft or unauthorized use of automobiles and other motor vehicles, and more nirticularly to devices of this kind which are applicable to the steering gear of the car for rendering the same inoperative and thus preventing the car from being steered.

.The invention has for-its object to provide a device of the kind stated which is simple in construction and highly ctlicient in operation, and to this end it consists in a novel combination and arrangement ot parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In order that the invention may be better understood. reference is bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in said drawings.

Figure l is an elevation of a steering wheel;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the steering wheel hub;

Fig. r is an enlarged section on the line l--t of Fig. 2;

l igs. 5 and 6 are sections on the line 55 of Fig. 4 showing the parts in different positions;

Fig. 7 is a transverse section wt' one of the locks, and

Fig. 8 is a cross section on the line R-t-1 of Fig. 7.

Referring specifically to the drawings. 10 denotes the rim of a. steering wheel the same being carried by spokes 11 radiating from a hub 12 mounted on the steering post 13. Near the top, the post 13 is reduced, as shown atv l4. and threaded at- 15. ()n the reduced portion 14 ot' the post is mounted a sleeve lti. and above. the same a nut 17 is screwed on the threaded portion 15. lntermediate its ends, the sleeve has an encircling groove which is stepped, as shown at 18 and.

19, the latter portion of the groove having a greater depth than the former. Above the. groove the sleeve is reduced in diameter. as shown at; 20. The sleeve is firmly secured to 'the. post 13 by the nut 17, it being clamped downjhereby against the shoulder 3t) and 31. these formed on the post by the grooved part 18. The center of the hub 12 has a cavity to accommodate the nut 17 said cavity opening downward and having an enlarged portion 22 in which the portion 20 of the sleeve 16 is slidably housed.

On diametrically opposite sides of the hub cavity, the hub 12 has bores 23 extend ng parallel to the hub axis and enlarged at the top as shown at 24 to hold rotatable lock barrels E25 and 96 having keys 27 and tumblers 28. To the bottom of the lock barrels are secured, by screws 29, am shanks having cam heads 32 and 33,.respectively. Shank 30 and cam 32 (see Fig. 4) have their tops flush, and in these faces are opposite recesses 3t into which ex-.

tend studs 35 (shown better in Fig. 7) depending from the bottom of the barrel 25, thus rotatably connecting said barrel with the cam 33. By removing the screws 29, the lock barrels 2.") may be detached from their cams. As shown in Fig. 5, the contour of cam 3:2 is semicircular, and that of cam 33 is circular except for a small segment cut away as at 36.

Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, it will be noted that when the keys'27 are inserted. they gather the tumblers 28 to come tlush with the surface of the lock barrels 25, after which the latter may be turned with the keys. However. when the keys are withdrawn, the tumblers are projected into the sides of the bores 23 between two segmental projections 37 integral with the wall of the latter, and it is now impossible to turn the barrels by a false key. When the proper keys are inserted, the barrels 25 are designed for a halt' turnin either direction, this movement being controlled by a pin 38 forming a stop abutment for the ends of the cam 32, and by a pin 39 acting on the ends of an upward extension 39 of the cam 33.

It will be noted by reference to Figs. 4 and that the cam 32 is positioned so that it may be projected into the grooved portion 19 of the sleeve 16. and when this is done, the steering wheel cannot be slipped olt'the post. 13. Ihe cam therefore acts as a bolt tor locking the steering wheel against removal from the post. llpon turning the bolt to the, position shown in Fig. 6, it is now clear of the groove 19, whereupon the wheel is unlocked.

The cam also acts tion with the sleeve as a bolt in connec portion 20, the latter W." aw.

H r dr having an arcuate side keeper recess 40 :lorrc a a longitudmal heyway defining a botto shoulder 41 acting as a cover or stop. t and 5 the full side of the cam is l ,on'n seated in the recess 40, and the steering -Wheel now locked to theUpost 13 so the sleeve 16 seats, the rim oi the opening seating on the shoulder on the sleeve pro duced by the groove. This plate covers the heads of the screws 29 and hence it will be seen that the lock cannot be opened up without considerable trouble. The lock is, ordinarily, not used except to take the wheel assembly apart foroiling or repairs. The

loch. to, however, is the service lock and is operated by a different key independent of the lock 25. 'When the driver leaves the ear, the lock 26 is turned to disconnect the steering wheel from the post 13, and as it is now impossible to steer the car, its theft or unauthorized use is prevented.

Tl claim:

It. The combination of a steering post and a steering wheel carried by the post, the hub of: the wheel having a central cavityv into which the post extends, and that portion of the post whien seats in the cavity having an xternal encircling groove and an external longitudinal keyway, and pair of rotatable loclocontrolled members carried by the hub, one oi sa in, members having a laterally projecting' po )11 adapted to seat in the groove, and the 'llOGl. being shaped to seat in the he, v.ay and having 1 portion which clears tne same.

external longitudinal keyway, and a pair of rotatable lock-controlled members carried by the hub, said hub having longitudinal recesses in which the members seat, one of said members having a laterally projecting portion adapted to seat in the groove, and the other inembcrbeing shaped to seat in the keyway and having a portion which clears the same.

3. The combination of a steering post and a steering wheel carried by the post, the hub of the wheel having a central longitudinal cavity into which the post extends, and that portion of the post which seats in the cavity having; an external encircling groove and an external longitudinal keyivay, a pair of rotatable lock-controlled members carried by the hub, aid hub having longitudinal recesses in which the members seat, one oi said members having a laterally projccting portion adapted to seat in the groove, and the other member being shaped to seat in the keyway and having a; portion which clears the same, and cooperating stops on the members and in the recesses for limiting the turning, movement of the members.

4. The combination with a steering wheel, of a post on which the hub of the Wheel is mounted, said post having an external en circling groove and an external longitudinal keyway, and locks carried by he Wheel hub and having bolts adapted to enter the aforesaid groove and heyway, one or. the bolts holding the hub against endwise separation from the post, and the other bolt holding the hub against rotary movement on the post.

5. The combination with a ring wheel, of a post on which the wheel is mounted for rotation thereon and endwise removal therefrom, said, post having an external longitudinal keyway and an external encircling groove, and separate lock-controlled means for coupling; the wheel to the post and holding the same against rotation thereon andendwise removal therefrom, said means having bolts, one of which is adapted, to enter the keyway and theothcr the grohve.

In testimony whereof I ilix my signature.

Max M. MUELLER Mill 

